Christmas 2012

Letter to Santa

I was helping Cade leave some cookies and a note for Santa tonight, and our conversation went like this:

Me: What do you want to say in your note to Santa?
Cade: Tell him I was good all of the days.
Me: Okay. Dear Santa, I tried to be a good boy...
Cade: NO mom, that's not how it goes. Tell him I was good all of the days.
Me: Okay, Dear Santa, I was good...
Cade: And tell him Coleman was bad. Tell him Coleman was naughty.
Me: What?! Coleman wasn't naughty!
Cade: Sometimes he was mom. Tell Santa.

I guess we don't have the Christmas Spirit thing down yet.

Let it Snow

Russ took Cade to Daniel's Summit today for some good one on one time. Cade is still holding his hand warmers - two hours off of the trail. He is one cold and tired kid, but every time I ask him if he had fun, he just smiles.

Milestones

Here is a picture of our ward Christmas party, last year and this year. Cade finally is excited about Santa. He climbed on his lap, told him he was good, and then said goodbye {he later realized he forgot to tell him what he wanted, so we had to go back!} I was so proud! It might sound trivial, but this is a big deal for a kid with autism. Another milestone met this week, Coleman said "let's go church!" That's a sentence as far as I'm concerned. Time to party!

Trains and Thanks

We were fortunate enough to have the Murphy's join us for Thanksgiving weekend. We fried a turkey again, had some major success at day after Thanksgiving sales, and then on Saturday we went to the Polar Express.

Polar Express was SO fun. Cade quite literally thought that he was going to the North Pole. The look on his face when he looked out the train window and saw Santa was priceless. He was so star struck when Santa walked on the train, that he couldn't even mutter what he wanted for Christmas. Coleman loved the train ride, and I loved all of the novelty... the kids got to have their tickets punched, the wait staff gave us mugs of hot cocoa, and Santa gave everyone a bell. Coleman even threw his ticket out the window and Russ had to chase after it before the train left him. It was just like the movie and absolutely adorable. I hope that we do this again every year.

Coleman actually tried his ice cream cone at dinner before we got on the train.

Cade was proud of himself that he set the table, and he got to eat off of something besides plastic :)

The silverware became Transformers destroying the crackers.

Both boys not having sitting still enough for a picture. Imagine that.

Distractions

I've been studying for finals over the past few days... and it's not going so good, for the above reasons. It's funny that my biggest distraction looks just like the biggest distraction I had when I was studying for finals at BYU-I 9 years ago. Same eyes.

Cade's First Primary Program

Cade has been VERY excited about his part in the primary program. It has been plastered with magnets on the fridge for weeks. Today, he nailed the part. Then, he nailed the girl in front of him... about 5 times. He then ducked down where none of the congregation could see him, took his socks and shoes off and hung out until it was over. I went and got him and he said "I am nervous. I am a little scared; I want to just hide where no one but my family can see me." I took him into the kitchen and he laid down for a bit and had a snack, then he was ready to go back to class. I am so proud that 1) he said his part 2) he stayed on the stage the whole time and especially 3) he was able to communicate his feelings. We've still got to work on the hands-to-self thing, but he will get it. Good job, Cade buddy. I am one proud momma today.

Halloween

Between our ward, the neighborhood, Coleman's EI program, and Cade's school, we had quite a few Halloween parties this year. Our pictures from Coleman's school party were even in the paper. Cade's school had a parade and practice trick-or-treating which was adorable.

Back in Aids

Coleman still isn't talking much, so his audiologist thought it would be best for him to wear his aids again. His hearing loss looks like it is a mild sensorineural loss. I am having a terrible time fighting him to keep them in. Every time I get them out, he starts signing/saying "All done! All done!" He is getting better though, slowly but surely. His speech is also progressing, so that makes it worth the fight.